Shoe stretching device



A'ug. 25, 1936. A. KANELL SHOE STRETCHING DEVCE lFiled Feb. 4, 1955 Cri UNITED SlHl'IflS.

sHoEsrRETCHING DEVICE;

Andrew Kanell, Chicago, Ill.; Applimtion Februaryi, 1935;v serial-No.. 4,824A

IZIClaims.

Myinvention relates rto shoestretching devices` and `it .hastodo more particularly Witha device.

of thischaracter adapted-.to stretch the entire shoe `lengthwise and the toe portion thereof .sidewise'. v

One..of the objectsof my invention is to provide an` improved .shoestretching device ofthe foregoing ,character which is of simple construction, which may be cheaply manufactured, and.'`

Which4 may.. be. olcleratedleasily-` andA quickly to stretch shoes .to thedesired extent.

Another object iste provide., aL devicev of the. foregoing character, having improved exibility, in .adjustment andY inwhich .7. stretching adjust-j mentssmay .be carried Iout by, the manipulation. of

but fewparts.

Azfurther object is to providean arrangement whereby stretchingof the shoe lengthwise and of 'l the toe portion Ythereofsidevvise may be carried `out-by a single means adapted to apply great stretching pressure .in the `directions stated.

Additional objects are. tov provide a device ofi the foregoingharacter Whereinthe toe andjheel.

units are adjustably connected by means include ing resilient membersA that lconstantly tend to re-V turn and .yieldably holdsuch unitsin theirinormal non-expandedcondition;` andto provide a` shoe'stretching devicethat is exceptionally strongl and. durable, and which is capable of being readilyY built upto desired shape and size suitable for: stretchingdifferentslfloes.l

Other objects and 4advantages will4 become-ap'- parentV as this description progresses and by'ref-y erence to the drawing, in Which',,

Fig. 1` is'a top plan view, partia'llyin'section;

of'one form of shoe stretchingidevice embodying;-

my invention; l

Fig. 2 is a-longitudinal section through the structure shoWninFig. 1';

Fig.. 3 is a: section takerr substantially'on they line 3`-3'-ofFig. 2; andA Fig. 4 is,adetachedffragmentary viewgoftlatchmeans employed in retaining the stretcher; sec tions in longitudinally-adjusted positions:

lThe structure shown in the drawing-includes a relatively` adjustable `toe unitT and heeliunit H;l Bothof these units are, preferably, made offsomer suitable metal, for-example, an aluminum alloy, which provides durability and lightness in Weight; However, it Will be readily appreciated that any other suitable material may. bfe employed with.- out, departinglfrom my invention.

Thetoe unit Vcomprises af pair of similarsections IIJ of such. shape that, Whennthey. are as. sembled.. together, they have the VgenerakOutlineshape ofthe toe of'ashoe. The sections I0 are preferably, shaped V.and sized for a comparatively small shove, and they4 may be readily adapted for larger size andjdiferent-shaped shoes by the vuse of" adapter sections such, for example, as thev 5.

sectionl I.shown inv Figs. 1f and 2; The adapter sections II are'supportedfupon the toe ,sections Il] "by pins I2` engaging-suitably provided openings. I3;v in thelatter. Thel adapter'sections II may talrevariousshapesand-sizes, so that sub- 1 0 stantially the entire size range of shoes may be readily stretched'with the structure shown;

The-toe sections` I 0 aresupported in connected relation by va-T-shapedmember I4` havingat its front end oppositelyy directed 'and' substantially 15 fl'at arms VIEiWith elongated slots IItherein'.V The toe-sections'l, adjacent theirforward ends, are provided-with recesses I1-'that receive the arms I5. Pins I8 carried bythe toe sections pass through-thearmslots IIi-:andr thereby loosely'con- 2G nect thetoe-sections I01to the member I4 in such a WayA that; the toe-sections may be extended laterally of thel member` Ill?v and/or be hinged angularly with respectthereto;

Each'ltoefsection Ill is pro-vided, in its rear half 2- portion, with a recess1|9-of triangular-like shape in 4longitudinal directionland, when the toe sections'arerassembled, these recesses I9 provide a Wedge` cavity: 2 0, the sidewalls 0I vwhich converge laterally inwardfrom the rear'end :of the toe unit. 30, This cavity f is adapted to receive a Wedgespreading'member-Z'I for extendingy the toe sections- I0', as will bedescribed more fully hereinafter: The rear-ends'of-theetoe sections ID, directly= above thefwedgecavity 20, areshaped to provide aledge-and-abutment 22a adapted to be engagedby the T-head portion of the member I4 (Figay land 2) for-simultaneouslyfmoving both of the toe-V sections in allongitudinal` directio-n, and to like extent; when the member: I4 is Vmoved in that direction. The movementfr of the toe sections IIl-'may-beffurther' facilitated; if desired, by providing upon the rearA of'one of the sections a cross-member 23 that engages behind ltheY otherr section sol-that when thef'former'section is moved 4.5z

utilityinl partiallygmainta'ining` the proper vassem- 50.

blyoafv the toe unit p artsv during adjustmentmovef ments;l but itiistnot entirely; necessary for that purpose.y

The-heel unit. includes-:a-.pair` oflv similar sections 24-.that areexedly. securedltogether in any 55;

desired manner. The inner, adjacent faces of the heel sections 24 are shaped to provide, in the assembled condition of such sections, a bore 25 for slide-reception of a rack bar 26; recesses 21 and 28 in which the ends of a shaft 29 carrying a pinion 30 are journaled; recesses 3| in which the ends of a shaft 32 carrying a nut 33 are journaled; and an enlarged recess 34 accommodating springs 35, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

The rack bar 26 is xedly secured to, and forms an extension of, the member I4; and it is provided with teeth 36 that engage the pinion 30. One end of the shaft 29 supporting this pinion is extended through the wall of the supporting heel section where it receives a handle member 3l. By rotating the handle 3'I the rack bar 26 and member I4 are adjusted longitudinally. The rack bar 26 is also provided with a handle 45 and longitudinal adjustment movement thereof may be effected by pressing forwardly on this handle. The foregoing parts are held in their longitudinally-adjusted position by a latch member 38 normally supported in engagement with the teeth of the pinion 3 by an arm 39 pivotally supported at 40 and constantly actuated by spring 4| to urge the latch 38 into engagement with the pinion. It will be noted that the latch nose 38a is so shaped that, upon rotation of the pinion 30 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) the latch will be cammed out of stop-engagement with the pinion; but, when the pinion tends to rotate in the opposite direction (as by movement of the rack bar 26 in that direction), the latch serves as a positive stop against such movement. In that case, the latch 38 may be released by depressing the free end of the arm 39 for return movement of the rack bar 26 and the member I4. Adjustments of the foregoing character may be employed in initially setting up the stretcher in the shoe. Actual longitudinal stretching operation is, preferably, carried out by adjusting mechanism that will now be described.

The adjusting wedge or wedge-spreading member 2| has the general outline wedge-shape of the wedge cavity 20. The top part of the forward end portion of the wedge 2| is cut away, asshown in Fig. 3, to provide a shallow front portion, at the rear of which is a vertical shoulder 4S. This shoulder is adapted to engage both of the toe sections at the rear thereof immediately above the wedge cavity 20, so that, upon propelling such wedge member longitudinally, the toe sections will be moved in that direction to like extent. The wedge member 2| is rockably supported for reciprocation so that'it may be moved to engage either its shoulder 46 with the rear of the toe sections or to enter the wedge cavity 20, in which latter case, longitudinal movement thereof expands the toe sections.

The wedge member 2| is supported for the foregoing adjustment movements as follows: It is secured, asby pin 47, to the forward end of a screw shaft 48 that is threadedly engaged with the nut 33. The screw rod 48 passes rearwardly through an enlarged opening 49 at the back of the heel unit and it is of suilcient length to extend beyond the rock bar handle 45 where it receives a handle 50. The nut carrying shaft 32 and its nut 33 are adapted to rock so that the screw bar 48 may be rocked vertically (about the horizontal axis ofthe shaft 32) to an extent permitted by the opening 49. The wedge member 2| may, in this manner, be rocked to engage behind the two sections I0 or to enter the wedge cavity 20, as above described.

The toe and heel units are further connected together by the pair of springs 35. As will be seen from Fig. 2, extensible coil springs are employed for this purpose, there being one springi The forward end of each spring 35 is connected to its respective toe unit'A for each toe unit.

by a slot-and-pin means 5I (only one shown), and the rear end of each spring is connected to the heel unit by a pin 52 (only one shown). The springs 3 5 (Fig. 2) pass through longitudinally slotted portions 53 (only one shown) in the forward part of the heel unit in such a way that expansion and contraction thereof may readily take place during the adjustments of the heel and toe sections. These springs, as will be observed from Fig. 2, oppose adjustment of the toe unit It is believed that operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing.v Briey, when it is desired to stretch a shoe, the: device is inserted in the shoe and initially adjusted to the length thereof by actuating the rack bar 26 to extend the toe unit as already de- Q scribed. 'Ihe Wedge member 2| is then advancedA and the handle 5U rocked downwardly to the full line position of Fig. 2 to engage the wedge member 2| behind the toe sections and extend the toe unit with sucient pressure to stretch the shoe lengthwise. When this has been accomplished, the latch 38 serves to hold the toe unit in its longitudinally adjusted position. This permits the handle 50 to be rocked upwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 2y wherein the wedge member 2| is caused to enter the Wedge cavity 29 and expand the toe sections laterally as the handle 50 and screw rod 48 are actuated in the manner above described. This causes the toe of the shoe to be stretched laterally. After the stretching op eration has been completed, the wedge member 2| may be retracted so that, when the latch 38 is released, the springs 35 will return the toe unit and the sections thereof to their normal positions wherein the device may be removed from the shoe.

Although I have shown only one form of device embodying my invention, it will be understood that various changes in details and arrangements of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as dened by the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. In a shoe stretching device, a toe unit having laterally expansible toe sections, a heel unit, means connecting said units for longitudinal adjustment of said toe unit relative to said heel unit, means carried by said heel unit and adjustable to one position to engage said toe unit and adjust the same longitudinally to stretch the F shoe lengthwise, said second-mentioned means being adjustable to another position to engage said toe sections and expand the same laterally, and means for holding said toe unit in any longitudinally adjusted position independently of' said' first means whereby saianstmeansinay beadjustedv to*A its toe sctio, expanding position inl anylongitudinally expanded positionJ of said toe unit. I

2l n aA shoe"stre'tthingv device, a tfoequnit comprising a pair of laterally" expansibl'ef sections shapedtfit" the'to'epotion of a shoe, a; heelv unit shapedto 't the heelu portionA of a shoe', means connecting and: supporting saidtoe andhee'l units for relative longitudinal adjustment and for' latera'l expansion adjustment of said toe sections, a member carried by" said heel unit and engageable `with said toe unit to adjust the latter longitudinally, and also engageable with said toe unit in any longitudinally adjusted position thereof to expand said toe sections laterally, and releaskable means for holding said toe unit in any longitudinally adjusted position.

3. In a shoe stretching device, a toe unit having a pair of expansible toe sections, each said section having a recess therein of such shape that in the assembled condition of said sections a Wedge cavity converging inwardly from the rear of said toe unit is provided, a heel unit, means connecting said toe and heel units for longitudinal adjustment of said toe unit, and means for adjusting said toe unit longitudinally and for also expanding said toe sections which includes, a wedge member adapted to enter said wedge cavity and also provided with an abutment adapted to engage the rear of said toe unit to one side of said Wedge cavity, a support for said wedge member carried by said heel unit in such a way that it is adjustable rockably and longitudinally, and means for adjusting said support longitudinally and for rocking it in one direction to engage said wedge member abutment with said toe unit to adjust the latter longitudinally and for rocking it in the opposite direction to engage said wedge member in said wedge cavity so that upon continued longitudinal adjustment of said support said toe sections are expanded laterally.

4. In ashoe stretching device, a toe unit including a pair of similar sections, a heel unit, a support member carried by and adjustable longitudinally of said heel unit, pivot means connecting the forward end of said support member to the forward ends of said toe unit sections Whereby said toe unit sections may swing laterally with their rear ends free, longitudinally adjustable means carried by said heel unit and adjustable laterally to one position for positively engaging the rear of said toe unit for moving the latter away from the heel unit and also adjustable to another position for spread-engaging said toe sections to expand the latter, and means for adjusting said adjustable means both longitudinally and laterally.

5. In a shoe stretching device, a toe unit including a pair of similar sections, a heel unit, a support member carried by and adjustable longitudinally of said heel unit, pivot means connecting the forward end of said support member to the forward ends of said toe unit sections whereby said toe unit sections may swing laterally about said pivot means, longitudinally adjustable means carried by said heel unit and adjustable laterally to one position for positively engaging the rear of said toe unit for moving the latter away from the heel unit and also adjustable to another position for spread-engaging said toe sections to expand the latter, means for adjusting said adjustable means both longitudinally and laterally, and spring means between said heel unit and said toe sections yieldably opposing nfe'turii'nar and 1st-'eier expanding movements ofsl dtoef'unitL v, V 62 Ina"slroeistetchingdevice, a toe unitin'cluding" a" pairffof similar sections, a heel unit, a supporti member carried by and adjustable longitudizialiy'fhof'Y s'aiigl liefe'ly pivot meansconnecting tire fo'war'diendof said support' member' tol-the I n a d'" ends of said* toe unit sections whereby said o `uiiit sections may Swinglaterally, longidjustable meanscarried by said heel X an.adjustablelaterallyto'one position for positively engaging" the rear of said toe unit for moving the latter away from the heel unit and to another position for spread-engaging said toe sections to expand the latter, means for adjusting said adjustable means both longitudinally and laterally, latch means carried by said heel unit and releasably engageable with said support member for automatically holding said toe unit in any longitudinal position independently of the position of said adjustable means.

7. In a shoe stretching device, a toe unit including a pair of similar sections, a heel unit, a support member carried by and adjustable longitudinally of said heel unit, pivot means connecting the forward end of said support member to the forward ends of said toe unit sections whereby said toe unit sections may swing laterally, longitudinally adjustable means carried by said heel unit and adjustable laterally to one position for positively engaging the rear of said toe unit for moving the latter away from the heel unit and to another position for spread-engaging said toe sections to expand the latter, means for adjusting said adjustable means both longitudinally and laterally, latch means adapted to engage said support member and hold said units in any longitudinally adjusted position independently of said adjustable means, and spring means connected to said heel unit and said toe sections yieldably opposing both longitudinal and lateral expanding movements of said toe unit and tending to return said toe unit to a normal non-expanded condition when said latch means is released.

8. In a shoe stretching device, a toe unit having laterally expansible sections, a heel unit, means connecting said units for relative longitudinal adjustments, and a Single longitudinally adjustable member carried by said heel unit and also laterally adjustable to one position to engage said toe unit and move the latter in longitudinal expanding direction upon longitudinal adjustment of said member and adjustable laterally to another position wherein it expands said toe unit sections laterally When adjusted longitudinally, and means for adjusting said member both laterally and longitudinally.

9. In a shoe stretching device a toe unit having a pair of sections, a heel unit, longitudinally adjustable means securing said toe sections together but permitting lateral expanding movement of said sections, spring means between said toe sections and heel unit for normally retaining said units together, and tiltable means carried by said heel unit for engaging and either advancing said toe sections longitudinally or spreading the same laterally.

10. In a shoe stretcher device, a toe unit having laterally expansible sections, a separate heel unit, and means positively engageable with said toe unit to adjust the same as a whole longitudinally away from said heel unit, said same means being also adapted to engage said toe unit sections to expand the same laterally in any longitudinally adjusted position of said toe unit.

11. In a shoe stretcher device, a toe unit having a pair of laterally expansible sections, a heel unit, a support adjustably carried by said heel unit, means connecting both said toe unit sections to said support so that they are adapted to hinge and expand laterally of said support, means for adjusting said support to adjust both said toe sections simultaneously away from said heel unit, and means for expanding said toe sections lateral- 1y in any adjusted position of said toe unit.

12. In a shoe stretcher device, a toe unit having a pair of laterally expansible sections, a heel unit,

a support adjustably carried by said heel unit, means connecting both said toe unit sections to said support so that they are adapted to hinge and expand laterally of said support, means for adjusting said support to adjust both said toe sections simultaneously away fr-om said heel unit, means for expanding said toe sections laterally in any adjusted position of said toe unit, and spring means connecting said toe sections to said heel unit and yieldably opposing all adjusting move- 10 ments of said toe unit and the sections thereof.

ANDREW KANELL. 

